Murder Trial Jury Begins 2d Day Of Deliberations

A Du Page County Circuit Court jury will resume its deliberations Friday in the case of three men charged with the abduction, murder and rape of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico.

The jury deliberated for more than five hours Thursday after hearing 27 days of testimony from 90 witnesses and two days of sometimes emotional closing arguments from the prosecutor and three defense attorneys.

The victim`s parents, Thomas and Patricia Nicarico, waited at the Wheaton courthouse until the jury, which began its deliberations at 5:30 p.m., was sequestered for the night.

Family members of the defendants went home earlier on the advice of defense attorneys, who believe it may take several days for the case to be decided.

Assistant Du Page County State`s Atty. Thomas L. Knight said he will seek the death penalty if guilty verdicts are returned.

Defense lawyers contend that Knight`s case, which was largly circumstantial, failed to establish the guilt of their clients.

On trial are Stephen Buckley, 22, of Aurora; Orlando Cruz, 24, of Wheaton; and Alex Hernandez, 21, of Aurora.

Each is charged with murder, rape, aggravated kidnaping, deviate sexual assault, aggravated indecent liberties with a child and residential burglary. Defense attorney Gary Johnson argued in a two-hour speech to the jury that the girl`s abduction and murder was ``the most brutal crime at least in the last decade.`` Johnson said his client, Buckley, was the victim of a

``community up in arms, determined to make sure somebody pays for this case.``

Knight contends that, on Feb. 25, 1983, the child was kidnaped and murdered by the three defendants, who broke into her Naperville home while she was home sick alone with the flu.

Upon finding the girl, Knight charges, the three dragged her to a car, raped her and beat her to death before dumping her body in a wooded area of Aurora.

The courtroom of Judge Edward W. Kowal was crowded Wednesday and Thursday for the final arguments by both sides.

Johnson and Thomas Laz, the attorney for Cruz, made their final appeals Thursday. Frank Wesolowski, chief county public defender, made his final argument on behalf of Hernandez on Wednesday.

Johnson challenged the prosecution`s argument that the print of a boot used to kick in the door of the Nicarico house on the day of the crime matched a boot owned by Buckley.